Construction of wrenches.



- No. 705,874. Patented July 29, I902.

' 4 H. SE-ARLE.

CONSTRUCTION UF WRENCHES.

' (Application and Apr. 18, 1902.

(No Modem [5 FEYERS co. wom Lama WA muswn u c UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY SEARLE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO COES IVRENCH COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

M CONSTRUCTION OF WRE NCHE S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,874., dated July 2 9, 1902 Application filed April 18, 1962. Serial No. 103,556. (No model.)

invention appertains to make and use the same.

This inventionrelates to novel means for confining the j aw-adj usting screw against endwise displacement or withdrawal of its journal from the bearing-step while permitting the free rotation of the screw, the objects being to afford a simple, easily-constructed, and efficient antifrictional retaining member or ball-bearing device in combination with the wrench-bar and the j aw-adj usting screw, as more fully hereinafter explained. I attain these objects bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 represents a side view of a wrench embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a front view of a wrench-bar, showing the bearingseat for the retaining member. Fig.3 is a transverse section at line W W. Fig. 4 is a transversesectionaldiagram at the position of line X X on Fig. 1, but drawn to a some-' what-larger scale, showing the relation of the bar, screw-rosette, and retaining member. Fig. 5 shows the ball orretaining member. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate modifications in the structure, and Fig. 8 shows a roller-retaining member.

In the drawings, A denotes the wrench-bar, provided with the head or fixed jaw a and handle-supporting shank A, as usual.

B indicates the movable jaw, that slides on said wrench-ban'C thejaw-adjusting screw, and D the handle frame orcollar fittingupon the wrench-bar'shank and'having a projecting portion or bearing 2 on which the screwjournal 3 is stepped. The wrench-bar is preferably formed with a fiat front face 4: from the head to the collar-positioning shoulders d, against which the handle abuts.

. The adjusting-screw C is disposed in such relation to the wrench-bar A that its rosette C is clear of the plane of the front face 4 of said bar and with its journal 3 inserted in the step-bearing2. The boss or rosette on said screw is, according to my invention, provided with a circumferential cavetto, chamfer, groove,or bearingway 5, forminga shoulder or ofiset above or in'connection with the knurled surface. In the front face of the wrench-bar, at a position corresponding with that of vthe groove or ofiset 5on the rosette,

there is formed a socket, recess, or cavity 6,

sunk in the surfaceof thebar. Combined with said rosette and wrench-bar I provide a protuberant ball or rotatable retaining member- 7, supported in the front face of the wrench-bar and projecting over or into the offset, groove, or bearing-way 5 on the rosette C, as illustrated, thereby retaining said rosette adjacent to the collar projection and keeping the screw-journal 3 within its bear= ing, but at the same time permitting easy and free rotation of the screw by the rolling action of the keeper member within the cav-' ity 6 and against the surface of the groove 5.

The cavity 6 is preferably made of a form that will contain the member or ball 7 with while performing its function as a protuberant keeper for preventing endwise displacement of the jaw-adjusting screw.

The groove or rollway-surface 5 on the rosette is best formed to afford two bearingpoints against the ball 7 although such form is not in all cases essential, as a single bearing-point will accomplish the retention of the parts.

When assembling the parts, the sliding jaw is slipped onto the bar and the screw threaded therein. Then the keeper or ball is introduced into its cavity and the rosette adjusted in proper relation thereto before the bar-- the rosette instead of being wholly above the knurled surface, as in Figs. 1 to 4, as herein- I before explained.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated a modification in which the keeper or retaining member is formed as a cylindrical roller instead of a spherical ball. This latter modification I desire to include as within the scope of my invention, although I prefer the form first above described.

I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a wrench, in combination with the wrench-bar, and jaw-adjusting screw; a protuberant retaining member or keeper supported within a cavity formed in the front face of the wrench-bar, and projecting beyond the plane of the wrench-bar face and over a portion or shoulder of the rosette of the jawadjusting screw, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a wrench of the character described, the combination with the wrench-bar, and the jaw-adj nstin g screw; of a rotatable retaining member or keeper supported in a recess in the face of the wrench-bar, and engaging with an offset groove or bearing-surface upon the rosette or boss of the jaw-adjusting screw and coacting therewith to prevent endwise displacement of said screw.

3. In a Wrench having a sliding jaw, and a jaw-adjusting screw journaled in the collar projection, with its rosette clear of the front of the bar, the rosette provided with a circumferential groove, offset or bearing-surface, and a rolling retaining ball or member disposed in a cavity formed in the face of the wrench-bar and protruding therefrom and acting against said rosette-surface, substantially as set forth.

4. In a wrench, in combination, for the purposes set forth, a wrench-bar having in its face a socket, recess or cavity with a seating point or elevation on the interior thereof, a rotatable ball loosely supported within said socket by said seating-point and the rim of the cavity, and protuberant from the face of the wrench-bar, the jaw-adj usting screw journaled in the projecting portion of the handleframe and provided with a rosette or boss having a circumferential bearing groove or surface engagingagainst said ball, and confining it loosely in connection with its cavity, and said screw in turn thereby confined to its journal-bearing.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. CoEs, FRANK S. SPOONER.

Witness iny'hand this 15th day of April, 

